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Research Groups

Biosensors and Biodevices Group - Research Projects

Carbon nanotube modified electrodes for catalysis and electroanalytical chemistry

(with Prof. Barbara Messerle and Prof. Brynn Hibbert, Chemistry UNSW)
Carbon nanotubes represent the smallest possible electrodes with diameters as small as 1 nm. We have been one of the pioneering groups exploring the use of carbon nanotube modified electrodes with a view to understanding their unique electrochemistry and for allowing electrochemical communication with proteins for biosensing and bioelectronic applications. The small size of these nanoelectrodes enables them to be plugged into proteins to allow efficient transfer of electrodes between the outside world and the redox active centre off the protein. This is achieved by nanostructuring electrodes with aligned nanotubes and attaching the protein to the other end of the tube. In the most sophisticated example thus far, an active enzymes have been refolded around its redox active centre attached to the end of a nanotube. We are now exploring the use of carbon nanotube modified electrodes in the BEST immunosensor concept and as substrates to anchor organometallic catalysts where the electrochemical may enable the catalysts to be switched on and off.

Schematic illustrating the nanostructuring of electrodes with carbon nanotubes for bioelectronic applications

Above - schematic illustrating the nanostructuring of electrodes with carbon nanotubes for bioelectronic applications. a) A TEM of pristine carbon nanotubes, b) a TEM of the nanotubes after shortening in a cocktail of concentrated nitric and sulphuric acids which leaves the nanotubes with carboxylic acid moieties at their ends c) These carboxylic acids moieties are activated in DCC which allows amines on the end of a cysteamine modified electrodes surface to form a covalent bond with the nanotubes (which stand up normal to the surface as shown in the AFM image). d) Finally the carboxylic acids at the other end can be used to attach redox active proteins to the ends of the nanotubes.

For more information on this project see:
J.J. Gooding, R. Wibowo, J. Liu, W. Yang, D. Losic, S. Orbons, F.J. Mearns, J.G. Shapter, D.B. Hibbert, Protein Electrochemistry using Aligned Carbon Nanotube Arrays, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 125 9006-9007 (2003).

J.Q. Liu, A. Chou, W. Rahmat, M.N. Paddon-Row, J.J. Gooding, Achieving Direct Electrical Connection to Glucose Oxidase using Aligned Single Walled Carbon Nanotube Arrays, Electroanalysis, 17 38-46 (2005).

A. Chou, T. Böcking, N.K. Singh, J.J. Gooding, Demonstration of the importance of oxygenated species at the ends of carbon nanotubes on their favourable electrochemical properties, Chem. Comm. 842-844 (2005).